Where can Cape Coast Castle be found in Ghana?

Cape Coast Castle is a European-built fortress situated on the central coastline of Ghana. Since its initial construction in 1652, the Castle served as a trading post for European nations and as the headquarters of British colonial administration for the Gold Coast Colony.

Which people built Cape Coast Castle in Ghana?

Cape Coast Castle, Cape Coast (1653) The Swedes, led by Krusenstjerna, however, were the initiators of the permanent structure presently known as Cape Coast Castle. They built a fort in 1653 and named it Carlousburg, after King Charles X of Sweden.

How many slaves were in Cape Coast Castle?

As many as 1,500 slaves (two-thirds of whom were male) were held in the castle dungeons at any one time. When you walk through the dungeons today, it is terrifying to imagine the reality of what took place in these suffocating spaces just over two centuries ago.

What is the historical significance of Cape Coast Elmina Castle?

It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, and the oldest European building in existence south of the Sahara. First established as a trade settlement, the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade.

Which castle was first built in Ghana?

St. George’s d’Elmina Castle
St. George’s d’Elmina Castle, built in 1482, is one of the oldest European buildings outside Europe, and the historic town of Elmina is believed to be the location of the first point of contact between Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans.

What is the original name for Cape Coast Castle?

Cabo Corso
Cape Coast Castle (Swedish: Carolusborg) is one of about forty “slave castles”, or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese “feitoria” or trading post, established in 1555, which they named Cabo Corso.

Which European country built Cape Coast Castle in Ghana?

Originally built by Sweden in the 1650s, Cape Coast Castle shifted into Danish, Dutch, and then English possession by the 1660s.

Who built Cape Castle?

What is the meaning of Cape Coast Castle?

Cape Coast Castle (Swedish: Carolusborg) is one of about forty “slave castles”, or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. They were used to hold slaves before they were loaded onto ships and sold in the Americas, especially the Caribbean.

Is Cape Coast Castle the same as Elmina Castle?

Built in 1482 by Portuguese traders, Elmina [formerly Saint Georges] Castle was the first European slave-trading post in all of sub-Saharan Africa. Elmina and its sibling, the cape coast castle have almost every thing, from their designs, structure, history and raison d’etre in common.

What was the Elmina Castle used for?

The purpose of Elmina Castle, as well as the future outposts, was to give support to captains by providing their vessels with a secure harbor. The outposts were heavily armed against assault from the sea. Interestingly, the forts were not so heavily armed against attack from inland.

Which castle is the biggest in Ghana?

Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle is the largest of the buildings which contains the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where was the Cape Coast Castle originally located?

Cape Coast Castle ( Swedish: Carolusborg) is one of about forty “slave castles”, or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese “feitoria” or trading post, established in 1555. However, in 1653 the Swedish Africa Company constructed a timber fort there.

What was the name of the slave castle in Ghana?

Cape Coast Castle. Other Ghanaian slave castles include Elmina Castle and Fort Christiansborg. They were used to hold slaves before they were loaded onto ships and sold in the Americas, especially the Caribbean. This “gate of no return” was the last stop before crossing the Atlantic Ocean [citation needed] .

Is there a museum in Cape Coast Ghana?

The West African Historical Museum is located inside Cape Coast Castle and contains a growing collection of art and cultural objects, including ceremonial drums, old muskets, shackles from the slave trade and ancient pottery.

Why is Cape Coast the capital of Ghana?

‘Cabo Corso,’ meaning ‘short cape’, is the name the Portuguese settled on for the local settlement within which its trade lodge was built in 1555. Its corruption to ‘Cape Coast’ is now the accepted name of the capital of the Central Region of Ghana.